Andy Murray roars with delight during Tsonga battle at Wimbledon

But the 31-year-old Frenchman roared back with some audacious attacking tennis and Briton Murray, for the first time in a tournament that had been stress-free before, looked flummoxed.

There was no deciding set necessary in Milos Raonic vs. Sam Querrey and Tomas Berdych vs. Lucas Pouille. His incredible returning skill will make it hard for Tsonga to control the match as he likes to with a serve.

“I think when things get tough, I’m just a little bit soft”. It can help to go through games and stages in matches that are challenging. You know, maybe upsets potentially.

Murray, snarling at his box the entire way, raced out to a 5-0 lead and coasted home.

Tsonga wins four of the first five games for his first significant lead in the match.

“Big matches against the best players turn on fleeting chances, and if you want to win Wimbledon, you have to relish those moments”, he said in his BBC Sport column.

“It was frustrating, for sure”. He came up with some great shots. “I must be doing something right to have equalled his wins”. He hasn’t dropped a set, or looked like dropping one, with every facet of his game working to the best of its ability. “I didn’t do that today at all”.

Standing in the way of 2013 champion Murray and seven-time victor Federer getting to Sunday’s final are Tomas Berdych, the 2010 runner-up, and sixth seed Milos Raonic. “They weren’t easy. A few of the sets came down to just a couple of points”.

Cilic saved two break points in the fifth game and took the set 7-6 (4). The Frenchman was forcing errors and blasting winners of his own to prolong the contest and take the set, 6-3.

In the fifth set, Murray displayed some outstanding return skills, breaking for a 2-0 lead after a backhand volley victor. He was serving well. “In long matches, tough matches, even if it’s half a percent difference, it’s good”.

Since then, he has won 19 of 22 matches that have gone the distance, only losing to Novak Djokovic twice and Fernando Verdasco once. “So it was great on so many levels”. There’s not one thing that’s more important than another.

“Physically, you’re strong, that helps for sure”.

But he nearly came unstuck in the fourth round, having to come back from two sets down for the first time to defeat David Goffin. “Now, of course, I’m very happy, very emotional”. “I do feel like when I’ve needed to in the tournament, I have played some good tennis”.

“Everything will depend on my ability to break him because I am confident I can hold my serve”, claimed Tsonga. Asked if he is applying all he has in his gut and heart to become the best professional he can, Kyrgios bluntly told the reporter: “No”. Then he leaned forward, placed his chin on a fist and responded wryly, “It’s not that bad, is it?”

“That was something I started doing a lot more of when I had my back surgery (in 2013)”, he said.

“Whatever, those three breakpoints, after I fought them off, I did believe. I’m aware I’ll have to be playing at my highest level to win”.

“The finish line was far tonight”, Tsonga said.